


The Worst Birthday Present

by flyingwargle



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Asthma, Gen, asthmatic!kuroo, based on my hc that kuroo has asthma, sorry to make you suffer on your birthday, the entire team cares for him very much, training camp shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-17
Updated: 2017-11-17
Packaged: 2019-02-03 15:51:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12751416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingwargle/pseuds/flyingwargle
Summary: Lev asks Kuroo what his worst present was and Kuroo indulges him.





	The Worst Birthday Present

Last year, Kuroo had the misfortune of having his birthday during a training camp. This year was no different, although now that he was a captain and had respect from the other teams, he was able to have a party during dinner, including a cake that his coaches bought. He was given birthday wishes from the first and second-years, the captains and vice-captains handed him small presents, and his team stayed behind to shower him with their love and affection.

“What am I supposed to do with all these?” Kuroo frowned at the pile of presents on the table behind them. Majority of them were stationary items, a few combs and brushes, and two volleyballs. He could probably stuff a few in Kenma’s bag without him realizing it.

“Kuroo-san, if you don’t want any of those pens, I can take them!” Lev flinched when Yaku kicked him.

“Idiot, those aren’t your presents. Geez.” Yaku shook his head. He and Kai shared a look, remembering how nothing happened last year. The team had a small celebration before bed, but the conditions that followed it had given them anxiety, so no one was too happy.

Bokuto swung an arm around Kuroo. “Don’t forget we’re going for ramen tomorrow! It’s my treat!”

“Yeah, yeah, as it has been since our first year.” Kuroo brushed him off. “Come on, we should go back to the gym and work off the cake. Help me bring the volleyballs to my room, bro?”

The others headed off first while Bokuto and Lev helped carry the presents to their room. Kuroo turned away as he coughed, shaking his head. He would’ve preferred it if his birthday was during the summer – the in-between period from summer to autumn was always hard. Fortunately, he had his shorts helmed so his inhaler would be on him and not forgotten beneath a pile of towels and jackets.

Lev spoke up. “Kuroo-san, what’s the worst present you ever got?”

“The worst? Hm…” his eyes drifted to Bokuto, the spiker pretending he didn’t notice. “Well, last year…”

* * *

Coughs shook him, leaving him breathless after every spasm. Individual practice had started and Kuroo was thinking he should end it early. Today had been hard – his team had more penalties this time around and he had to use his inhaler more than twice. He hadn’t had to sit out, fortunately, but if he didn’t rest properly today, he’d pay for it tomorrow.

“Hey, Kuroo!” he looked up, realizing he was in front of the third gym. Bokuto stood at the doorway with his hands on his hips, hair beginning to deflate. “Weren’t we gonna practice together?”

Kuroo hesitated. He hadn’t turned Bokuto down before – well, more like he couldn’t. Someone had to shut his pompous ass down from time to time. “Sorry, bro,” he said after a moment. “I’m going to end it early today.”

“Just a few! Please?” Bokuto begged. “It’s not fun spiking without a blocker. You’re the only one who ever practices with me, bro.”

He had a point. Kuroo sighed, knowing Bokuto would just get dejected if he refused. “Fine. It better be just a few, though. Akaashi, please make sure he keeps his word.”

“I’ll do my best.” Akaashi nodded, giving a slight bow to Kuroo when he entered. Bokuto cheered as he began to gather the balls strewn across the court.

Practicing with him gave Kuroo a sense of calm. The familiar pattern of toss, approach, jump, and spike was engrained in Bokuto and all Kuroo had to do was watch him, jump, and shift the block according to his instincts. No words were needed, just the occasional jeer, taunt, or cheer. Sweat stained the floor, balls rolled to various corners of the gym, and the occasional breeze caused them to roll off again. It was easy to lose track of time like this, so no one really knew how long it took for the bin to be emptied.

Bokuto started gathering them for another round. Akaashi wiped sweat from his forehead, eyes trailing toward Kuroo. The second-year had his hands on his knees, chest heaving. His raspy breaths echoed around them. “Kuroo-san, are you all right?” Akaashi asked.

“Yeah. Just…give me a minute.” He was wheezing. He raised his head, face pale with sweat trailing down his chin. Akaashi did his best not to flinch, his voice coming out steady and strong.

“Kuroo-san, please sit down. I’ll guide you to the bench.” Akaashi ducked under the net to approach him, but Kuroo shook his head, taking a step forward a second later. He staggered toward the bench, sinking down heavily. Akaashi kneeled in front of him. “Kuroo-san, please breathe. Do you-“ he paused, realization hitting him. “Where’s your inhaler?”

“Kuroo? Akaashi?” Bokuto approached them, a ball in his hand. His golden eyes were shining, his overjoyed expression dissolving into panic. “What’s wrong? Bro?”

Akaashi turned to face him. “Kuroo-san is having an asthma attack,” he answered calmly. “He needs his inhaler and we need to tell the coaches-“

“First gym,” Kuroo bit out. He turned away to cough, Bokuto flinching. He dropped the ball and flew toward the doorway,

“I’ll grab it!” Bokuto shot down the walkway, speeding by the second gym to reach the first. The rebounding of balls and shouts reached him, growing louder as he approached the entrance. He grabbed the doorframe to stop himself from toppling over,

“Hey!” the Nekoma team jumped when he shouted. Heads turned to face him as he struggled to catch his breath. He looked up, yelling, “Inhaler! I’m looking for Kuroo’s inhaler, anyone’s seen it?”

Yaku lowered his ball with a frown. “I haven’t, no. Kai?” he glanced at his teammate, who was sitting on the bench. Kai quickly searched it, the members nearby helping out. “What happened? Is Kuroo-“

“He’s having an asthma attack,” Bokuto said in a rush, pointing vaguely behind him. “He’s in the third gym when it-“

“Found it!” Yamamoto exclaimed, raising the small object in the air. Yaku plucked it from his hand, wasting no time in rushing out. Behind him, Kai was instructing the first-years to run and look for their coach. Kenma remained frozen in place, the ball in his hands clutched tightly.

Bokuto turned to follow Yaku, the libero already halfway there. He started to slow down as he reached the third gym, entering as quickly but quietly as possible. Akaashi had moved aside and Yaku had taken his place, shaking the inhaler. He held it out for Kuroo, who took it and raised it to his lips. Bokuto looked away when he took a puff.

“Better?” Yaku asked. He let out a breath when Kuroo nodded. “Geez, what if we hadn’t found your inhaler? Good thing it was there and not in the cafeteria or classroom. Things would’ve gotten much worse if it was.”

“Sorry.” Kuroo’s apology was breathless. He started shaking his inhaler again.

“You better not have let your guard down just because it’s your birthday. You of all people should know that life isn’t that nice, especially if you want it to be.”

_Birthday?_ Bokuto had completely forgotten about it. Not only did he spam his friend with birthday wishes over text, but he had been saying it every hour. _Oh, man, I really screwed up._

Kai and his team arrived at the gym with their coach in tow. Akaashi nudged Bokuto to step away to give them space, the first-year shooting looks at his _senpai_.  “Bokuto-san-“

“It’s my fault.” Bokuto’s voice was quiet. “I’m such a bad friend.”

Akaashi was silent for a moment. He watched Kuroo apologize sheepishly to his coach as he was berated and lectured. “I don’t know if that was entirely avoidable. We should be fortunate that the attack wasn’t severe, or he may had needed to go to the hospital. You were quick to run for help, Bokuto-san.”

“Hey, Bo, Akaashi!” Kuroo called out. His team was beginning to leave, Yaku, Kai, and Kenma lingering at the doorway. “Sorry if I scared you. It was stupid of me to leave my inhaler behind. I really appreciate your help.”

“It was not a problem.” Akaashi bowed his head politely. “Please take care of yourself.”

“I will, don’t worry.” Kuroo turned to his friend. “Sorry for cutting practice short, bro. Next time-“

“Kuroo!” Bokuto flung his arms around him. He was sobbing. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to give you an asthma attack! I even knew about it and- and- please hit me! I deserve it!”

Kuroo froze momentarily, bewildered. “What’re you talking about? If you didn’t run and actually get my inhaler, I would’ve gotten worse. Besides, I was the one who said I’d practice with you – I just didn’t stop when I needed to.”

“But, if I knew, I wouldn’t have asked you in the first place…!”

“It’s okay, bro. These things happen sometimes. Don’t worry about it.” Kuroo broke away to cough. He patted his friend’s shoulder once he recovered. “See you tomorrow.”

They watched him head out with his teammates. Bokuto turned to finish gathering the balls before calling it a day himself. Akaashi knew tomorrow was going to be quiet, or maybe just a bit grayer than usual.

* * *

“…And every time I bring it up, he always get depressed.” Kuroo swung his arm around Bokuto with a smirk. “It really isn’t a big deal, bro. You have no idea how many times I’ve gotten asthma attacks during matches. Last year’s was nothing.”

“I still made you suffer on your birthday,” Bokuto muttered. “How can you not hate me?”

“Because you’re my friend? I mean, you did way worse things that I could hate you forever for, but you don’t see me holding grudges.” Kuroo stepped away to stretch his arms over his head. At his request, Nekoma and Fukurodani were having a match with their members mixed up just so the two friends could play together for once in their high school lives. “Are we all ready to go?”

Yaku shouted at them from the court. “Hurry up, Lev! We’re going to start!” Lev ran toward his team, Bokuto turning to glance at his friend. Kuroo was shaking his inhaler, taking a puff before placing it on top of his towel.

“All right, let’s get started!”

**Author's Note:**

> this came because I realized Kenma probably has better stamina than Kuroo since he's always on the court and Kuroo isn't. I was fishing for a reason why and bam. this came. sorry to make you suffer, Kuroo, hope you have a nice birthday all the same~~
> 
> [writing blog](http://anime-matchmaker.tumblr.com/)


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